By Fred Altvater
Very little attention is given to the proper grip today. It seems most golf instructors are more concerned about spin rate, launch angle and swing speed than providing the proper basics to help a student hit it farther and straighter.
I begin every lesson with a new student, even experienced and low handicappers, by assessing their, grip, stance, ball position, posture and alignment. The first four of these being the most important, alignment can wait until later, once the student begins to consistently get the ball airborne.
Three Grips: 
Interlock:
An interlocking grip is made by interlocking the right pinky finger with the index finger of your left hand (opposite for left-handed golfers). This is especially for golfers with smaller hands like juniors, or women.
Interlocking the fingers helps the player feel like the hands are connected into a single unit.
The use of an interlocking grip worked pretty well for, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Michelle Wie.
Baseball Grip:
If you struggle with releasing the clubhead through impact, you may want to consider the ten-finger, or baseball grip. This grip encourages a more handsy swing and is somewhat harder to time.
The downside of the baseball grip is releasing the hands too soon and hitting fat, or topped shots.
However, if you want a little more snap through the ball, the baseball grip may be right for you.
Overlap:
The Vardon, or overlap grip is by far the most common and comfortable grip. Prior to the success of Harry Vardon, who perfected it, most golfers used the ten-finger grip. Vardon found he gained consistency by overlapping the pinky finger of his right hand into the juncture of his index and second finger of his left hand (opposite for left-handed golfers).
Strong or Weak
Once you determine which grip is right for you, you need to explore the correct way to hold the club in your hands. A grip that is too strong, or too weak will wreck a golf swing.
A strong grip will produce a lower ball flight, which may be harder to stop on approach shots. A grip that is too weak will promote higher shots, but the use of too much right hand (or left for left-handed golfers) will promote a more pronounced hook. It may also lead to more worm burners and chunks.
Which of these grips are right for you?
There is no right answer. Trial and error are the only methods I know to find the correct grip for your swing. Personal feel, and the confidence gained by hitting better shots are the only true methods of finding the right grip for you.
Personal Experience:
I want to relate two quick examples about the importance of the proper grip.
I had worked with Student #1 for a few sessions. He was gradually improving and happy to see where his game was going. He had a very strong grip, but was able to keep the ball in play and we didn’t make any change.
The student sent an urgent text that he was unable to hit any shot and was considering quitting the game entirely. We quickly met for a lesson.
His grip had become even more exaggerated and he was very frustrated. We made a slight adjustment to slightly weaken his grip and within a few minutes, he was back on track.
Student #2 has been playing for several years and is a good golfer. His original problem was a snap hook at inappropriate times on the course, which we initially cured. He was feeling confident with his new swing and decided it was time for a new driver. After his fitting and receiving his new driver, he began topping the ball off the tee and was very inconsistent. We tried several different fixes, over the course of a week, but nothing seemed to work. His iron play was excellent, but the new driver just wasn’t working.
Finally, we drilled down on his grip, making a slight adjustment. He immediately began striping beautifully shaped drives to the back of the range.
Bottom Line
Don’t be afraid to experiment on the range with a different grip. It won’t completely damage your golf swing forever and you might just gain more feel and a better swing.
The best tip about grip is see your local golf instructor and let him help you find the best grip for your game.
